Elevator guide rail lubricator



- Dec. 21, 1937.

J. J. WALSH ELEVATOR GUIDE RAIL LUBRICATOR Filed May 12, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 21, 1937:. J. J. WALSH ELEVATOR GUIDE RAIL LUBRICATOR Filed May 12, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 21, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,102,814 ELEVATOR GUIDE RAIL LUBRICATOR John J. Walsh, Maple Shade, N. J. Application May 12, 1936, Serial No. 79,330

16 Claims.

My invention relates to lubricators for elevator guides and has to do particularly with the manner in which the pressure upon the lubricating material is applied and adjusted.

The main purpose of my invention is to provide a sloping track by which an applying device continuously is urged against the lubricating material and to adjust the pressure.

A further purpose is to provide a continuous urge and expression of the lubricating material and add a variable supplemental urge by varia-- tion in the position of a weight.

A further purpose is to provide a sloping track for the mechanism which pushes the lubricating l5 material against the guide and to vary the slope to secure variant pressures against the lubricating material.

Further purposes will appear in the specification and in the claims.

In lubricating elevator guides it has been common to place the lubricating material in a container, so that the material bears against the guide at one end of the container and to force the lubricating material continuously against the uide by pressure from the rear of the container.

My invention relates particularly to the mechanism by which the pressure upon the lubricant is effected and to adjustments by which the extent of pressure may be varied.

I have preferred. to illustrate my invention by two main forms only, presenting forms which are practical, eflicient, simple and inexpensive and which at the same time well illustrate the principles thereof.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention applied to an elevator guide.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure seen in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section of Figure 2 takenupon the 40 line 3--3.

Figure 4. is a section of Figure 1 taken upon line 44, but omitting the piston member.

Figure 5 is a section corresponding to Figure 2 but showing a second form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the structure of Figure 5 but with the casing in reversed position and showing a weight.

Figure 7 is a section corresponding in section position to Figure 3 but showing the form of 50 Figure 5.

Figures 8 and 9 are diagrammatic views of modified forms.

In the drawings like numerals refer to like parts.

This application is a continuation in part of an application filed by me bearing Serial No, 13,267, filed March 27, 1935, showing the first four figures of the present application. 2

In my device I pro de a casing 5 within which is a cylindrical lubricant chamber 6 which is s tapered'at the end 'I and slotted at 8 so that lubricant crowded to the left in the figures within the chamber will be directed inwardly toward the elevator guide strip 9 and against its track It).

Preferably integral with the casing is a stif- 10 fening rib I I with which are connected attaching eyes I2 having elongated openings I3, providing for adjustment with respect to the guide.

Adjacent to the slot 8 and connected with it both above and below the slot are distributing fins 15 I4 by which the lubricant is confined and applied to track It]. The upper ends I4 of the fins are flared to avoid scraping off excess lubricant and to guide it, instead, between the fins.

The rib I I is extended in Figures 1 to 4 to form 0 a sloping track I5, here rigid but desirably adjustable, whose slope is used to apply pressure to the lubricant.

The stifiening rib II is of T-section, the transverse or head part of the T being provided by 5 flanges I6 which are extended at I8 to provide a runway on opposite sides of the web I! of the track Some part of the track, as shown, the web is turned upwardly at I9 as a stop.

Inside the chamber 6 I provide a piston 20 whose head 2| engages the lubricant and which is conveniently hollowed at 22. A lug 23 is bifurcated to give space at 24 for a feeding device 25pivoted about bolt 26.

The thrust arm 21 terminates in a yoke 28 whose arms 29 support rollers 30, 3|. These rollers are spaced by a collar 32 which is preferably rigid-with them forming a connecting neck. The rollers and neck turn about a bolt 33 passing through a bearing opening 34. The bolt is held by nut 35.

A weight 36, conveniently is cut away at 31 for clearance in extreme position. It is slotted to straddle arm 21, and is held in any desired position, adjustable alongthe arm 21, by set screw 38.

The usual stick of lubricant is shown at 39.

In operation the device is securedin any usual position on the elevator car. The stick of lubricant is inserted and the piston and connected thrust mechanism are put in place with the rollers upon the track and with any desired position of the weight.

The weight of the rollers is desirably made heavy as compared with that of weight 36, but

the weight of 36 can obviously be increased and that of the rollers be reduced.

The position of weight 36 may be adjusted to suit different fiuidities of lubricant due to differing kinds or temperatures of lubricant.

In the form shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7, advantage is taken of the same type of track and roller construction seen in Figures 1-4, with a difierent or additionalas it may be considered-- means for altering the pressure applied to the lubricant.

The arm I5 is here made adjustable about a center 40. The center may be located in any suitable positon, shown as below the casing and in an ear 4| which is radially lined or otherwise roughened at 42 in order to cooperate with a correspondingly roughened surface 43 upon the inside of the arm at this point. The parts are held together by any suitable screw 44 with the purpose and intent that the arm shall be capable of a considerable range of angular adjustment. Two positions are shown.

It will be obvious that the thrust rod 21 can receive a weight (see Figure 6) such as that shown at 3B in Figure 1, if it be desired to combine the two means of adjustment of pressure of the piston upon the lubricant.

It will be apparent that with different angular arm adjustments the differences in distance of plunger movement for a given movement of rollers 30 and 3| upon the track represent differences in available pressure upon the piston and consequently changes of the same character as are represented by adjustments of position of the weight 36.

In operation, when temperature or a difierence in the character of lubricant used makes it desirable to have a different pressure of the thrust rod upon the lubricant, this difference in pressure is secured by an adjustment of the angular position of the track or by a difference in position of the weight (if it be the form of Figures 1-4) or both if the weight be utilized as in Figure 6 in addition to and as supplementing the differences in pressure available through change in angular setting of the arm.

In the forms of Figures 5, 6 and 7, a second ear 4| is shown, likewise roughened in any suitable manner and located upon the opposite side of the casing from the location 'of the ear 4| with the purpose that if it be desirable to suspend the device below a beam for example instead of having it rest upon the top of a beam, the casing is turned upside down (with respect to the position in Figures 5 and 7) to the position shown in Figure 6. The piston and its thrust rod and wheels are then turned upside down as seen in Figure 6, and the arm is secured, also upside down, to the ear 4| instead of to the ear 4| as in Figure 7.

It will be evident that the spool-like structure of the wheels in Figure 5 is a convenient but not a necessary form, as the function can be supplied by separate wheels spaced by any suitable means along the length of the rod upon which the wheels are pivoted or spaced by the web I1;

In Figure 7 it will be noted that the end of the piston is extended at 45 to form a recess on that end of the piston which engages the lubricant 39. The forward extension centers the rear end of the block of lubricant so as to reduce the friction of the lubricant against the sides of the chamber. The rearward extension engages the taper at the end of the chamber before any part of the piston engages the track.

As pointed out previously the preferred illustrations show the track as connected with the casing belowthe chamber for the lubricant but this is obviously not essential as pointed out in the diagrammatic illustration, Figure 8, where the track I5 is connected to, the upper instead of the lower ear, 4| so that the thrust rod 25' hangs below the track instead of maintaining a position above the track. The structures in other particulars may be the same as those in the previous illustrations; and in this form the casing may be provided with ears on both sides as shown for reversal of the position of the casing as in Figure 6.

The independence of the invention from the character of the rollers has been pointed out. Figure 9 is put in for the purpose of showing that it is not essentialthough quite desirable that rollers be used. In Figure 9 the thrust rod 25 is pressed by the weight 3| sliding down a track I5 This is of course not quite as reliable as the roller form in that there is more likely to be a difierence in the friction of the weight against the track with longer use in excess of the difference found in the roller form.

However, initial or contemplated additional friction can be taken care of as in Figure 9 by making the track I5 steeper than the tracks |5, |5', I5 need to be.

' The connection between the weight 3 and the thrust rod 25 may be made in any suitable manner as by bolt 34'. In order to balance the pressure of the weight to advantage the thrust arm 25 is preferably bifurcated so that the two arms at the bifurcation pass on opposite sides of the Weight.

Though the contour of the track is not vital, provided it be suitable for the roller or weight used it is desirable to use the same kind of a fin guide H as in the other figures and to slot the Weight so as to fit over this guide.

It will be evident that though the roller form shown is much the better form a part of my invention would be secured by using a smooth sloping track and providing a weight to slide down the track and bring pressure to bear upon the thrust rod and through it upon the piston and lubricant.

In view of my invention and disclosure, variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of my invention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claim all such in so far as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a lubricant chamber therein, the said casing having an opening in communication with the chamber, the said opening being adapted to receive an elevator track, a piston within said lubricant chamber, a thrust rod pivotally connected to said piston, a roller mounted for rotation on said thrust rod, and an upwardly inclined guide arm extending from one end of said casing and adapted to guide and support said roller.

2. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a lubricant chamber therein, the said casing having a groove shaped opening communicating with the said chamber and adapted to receive an elevator track, a piston'within said lubricant chamber, a thrust rod pivotally connected to said piston, a roller mounted for rotation on said thrust rod, an upwardly inclined guide arm extending from one end of said casing and adapted to guide and support said roller, and a weight adjustably secured to said thrust rod.

3. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a lubricant chamber therein, the said casing having a. groove shaped opening in communication with said lubricant chamber and being adapted to receive an elevator track, a piston within said lubricant chamber, a thrust rod pivotally secured to said piston and having a spool-like roller rotatably secured to its end opposite said piston and adapted to straddle a guide, an upwardly inclined arm extending from one end of said casing and pro viding a guide for said roller, and a track upon which said roller is adapted to roll.

4. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a lubricant chamber therein, the said casing having an opening designed to receive an elevator track and in communication with the said chamber, a piston within said lubricant chamber, a thrust rod pivotal- 1y secured to said piston and having a spool-like roller rotatably secured to its end opposite said piston and adapted to straddle a guide, an upwardly inclined arm extending from one end of said casing and providing a guide for said spoollike roller, a track upon which said roller is adapted to roll, and a weight adjustably secured to said thrust rod.

5. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a lubricant chamber therein, the said casing having an opening in communication with said chamber and being adapted to receive an elevator track, a piston within said lubricant chamber, a thrust rod pivotally connected to said piston, a roller mounted for rotation on said thrust rod, and an upwardly inclined guide arm extending from one end of said casing and adapted to guide and support said roller.

6. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a lubricant chamber therein, the said casing having an opening in communication with said chamber and being adapted to receive an elevator track, a piston Within said lubricant chamber, a thrust rod pivotally connected to said piston, a roller mounted for rotation on said thrust rod, an upwardly inclined guide arm extending from one end of said casing and adapted to guide and support said roller, and a weight adiustably secured to said thrust rod.

7. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a lubricant chamber therein, the said casing having an opening in communication with said lubricant chamber and being adapted to receive an elevator track, an upwardly inclined arm extending rearwardly from said casing and having a guide member and trackway, a piston within said chamber, a thrust rod pivotally secured to said piston, a spool-like roller member arranged to straddle said guide and be supported by said trackway, said spoollike roller being rotatably secured to said thrust rod.

8. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a lubricant chamber therein, the said casing having an opening in communication with said lubricant chamber, and being adapted to receive an elevator track, an

upwardly inclined arm extending rearwardly from said casing and having a guide member and trackway, a piston within said chamber, a thrust rod pivotally secured to said piston, a spool-like roller member arranged to straddle said guide and be supported by said trackway, said spoollike roller being rotatably secured to said thrust rod, and a weight adjustably secured to said thrust rod.

9. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a lubricant chamber therein, the said casing having an opening in communication with said chamber and being adapted to receive an elevator track, a pair of spaced track-embracing lubricant retaining and spreading members extending above and below said track opening, a piston within said lubricant chamber, a thrust rod pivotally connected to said piston, a roller mounted for rotation on said thrust rod, and an upwardly inclined guide arm extending from one end of said casing and adapted to guide and support said roller..

10. A device or" the character described comprising a casing having a lubricant chamber therein, the said casing having an opening in communication with said chamber and being adapted to receive an elevator track, a pair of spaced track-embracing lubricant retaining and spreading members extending above and below 1 said track opening and having their upper ends beveled inwardly toward said elevator track opening, a piston within said lubricant chamber, a thrust rod pivotally connected to said piston, a roller mounted for rotation on said thrust rod, and an upwardly inclined guide arm extending from one end of said casing and adapted to guide and support said roller.

11. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a lubricant chamber therein, the said casing having an opening in communication with said chamber and adapted to receive an elevator track, a piston within said lubricant chamber, a thrust rod pivotally connected to said piston, a roller mounted on said thrust rod for rotation, an upwardly inclined guide arm extending from one end of said casing and adapted to guide and support said roller and means for tilting the guide arm for adjustment of the angle of said arm.

12. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a lubricant chamber therein, the said casing having an opening in communication with said chamber and adapted to receive an elevator track, a piston within said lubricant chamber, a thrust rod pivotally connected to said piston, a roller mounted on said thrust rod for rotation, an upwardly inclined guide arm extending from one end of said casing and adapted to guide and support said roller, means for tilting the guide arm for adjustment of the angle of said arm and a weight adjustable along the thrust rod.

13. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a lubricant chamber therein and having an opening adapted to receive an elevator track, a piston within said lubricant chamber and a rearwardly upwardly inclined stationary guide arm at one end of said casing, a thrust rod pivotally connected with the piston and having bearing upon the incline of the guide arm and an angularly adjustable connection between the casing and the guide arm.

14. A device of the character described comprising a casing vertically reversible and having a vertical slot providing a lubricant chamber therein and having an opening in communication with said chamber adapted to receive an elevator track, a bracket from the casing for fastening the casing to stationary structure adjacent the track and accommodated to attachment to an upper or lower face of the adjacent supporting structure by the vertical reversal of the casing, a piston within said lubricant chamber, a thrust rod pivotally connected with the piston and terminating in rollers, a guide arm adapted to present a rearwardly upwardly sloping supporting surface to the rollers and vertically spaced connections from the casing alternatively above or below the casing in the said reversible casing positions for securing the guide arm at its inner end below the casing in either of its reversed positions and adjustable as to the angle of the guide arm. c

15. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a lubricant chamber therein and an opening in communication with said chamber adapted to receive. an elevator track, a piston within the lubricant chamber,

guide means for presenting axially back of the piston a rearwardly upwardly sloping arm, mechanism for adjusting the slope of the arm and a thrust rod having its forward end presented to the piston and its rearward end on the slope of the guide arm adapted to press the piston forward by travel down the inclination of the guide arm.

16. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a lubricant chamber therein and an opening in communication with said chamber adapted to receive an elevator track, a piston within the lubricant chamber. guide means for presenting axially back of the piston a rearwardly upwardly sloping arm, mechanism for adjusting the means with respect to the slope of the arm and a thrust rod having its forward end presented to the piston and its rearward end on 'the slope of the guide arm adapted to press the piston forward by its travel a down the slope of the guide arm and a weight adjustably movable along the guide arm.

JOHN J. WALSH. 

